Container



Oct. 10, 1939.. A, Gn SHlELDS 2,175,674

` CONTAINER Filed May 17, 1938 3 sheets-sheet 1 4 @35452 7 I eff] Oct. l0, 1939. A. G. SHIELDS CONTAINER Filed May 17; 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 32 j .76 INVENTOR @ww/gjm@ 5km nl v' ATTORNEY 'llllllll- Oct. l0, 1939.

A. G, SHIELDS CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May` 17, 1938 vide ornamental trim members for the opposite Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Application May 17, 1938, Serial N0. 208,387

1 Claim.

Comprising stamped sheet metal parts of simpleV form which may be easily assembled to produce a case of durable construction, of ornamentally attractive appearance and which will be convenient and serviceable in practical use.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a case body and hinged top or closure therefor, with outer ornamental side walls for said body and closure, and means whereby said outer walls may be quickly and rigidly attached to the case body and closure respectively.

A It is a further object of the invention to proside edges of the case body of novel construction and means whereby said trim members may be quickly and rigidly assembled with the body of the case.

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a simple and effective latch device for the hinged top or cover of the case and operating means therefor constituting a movable part of one oi the trim members. Thus projecting parts of the latch or its operating means will not detract from the symmetrical ornamental appearance of, the case.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved vanity case or analogous article, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated in the drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claim.

In the drawings wherein I have disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of my present improvements and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating one novel construction of my improved vanity case showing the same closed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, the cover of the case being in open position and certain of the parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on an enlarged scale as indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the case on an enlarged scale showing the same closed.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the outer ornamental side wall for the top or cover of the case, looking .at the inner face thereof.

Fig. 7 is an edge view of said side Wall partly in section.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 6 and 7 respectively, of the ornamental outer side wall for the case body.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the case body with its cover in open position, before attachment of the ornamental outer walls and the trim members thereto.

Fig. 1l is an edge elevation thereof.

Fig. 12 is a detail vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on the line I 2-I2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the elements of one of the trim members in separated relation.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the other trim member.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the latch member for the hinged top or cover of the case.

Referring in detail to the drawings,. as seen in Figs. 10 to l2 the body of the case includes a die-stamped sheet metal plate 5 which, in the present instance, ,is of general rectangular form and provided with a depressed portion 5 having marginal walls 'I forming a powder receiving compartment 8. As herein shown, the walls 1 are spaced inwardly a suitable distance from the corresponding edges of the body plate, and upon said plate at one side of the compartment 8, the cover or closure 9 for said compartment is hingedly mounted as at III. This closure plate has the major portion of its area depressed as at II, below the plane of its marginal edges I2 to extend into the compartment 8 when the cover 9 is in closed position and seat upon the packing strip, I3 of felt or other material, suitably secured within said compartment closely adjacent to its marginal walls 1. The marginal edgeportions I2 of the closure 9 are `received in a depression or rah-bet I4 formed in the plate 5 at the upper edges of the walls I so that said marginal portions of the closure 9 are positioned in the plane of said body plate.

The hinged closure 9 for the powder compartment is releasably retained in its closed position by a suitable latch device. As herein shown, one serviceable form of latch may comprise a headed stud I5 movable in a slot I6 in the plate 5 and fixed at its lower end to one end of a U-shaped leaf spring I1 (Fig. 5). The opposite side edges of the body plate 5 are provided with downwardly extending anges I8 and the other end portion of the spring I1 hasbearing engagement with one of said anges.

When the member 9 is moved toits closed position and the packing strip I3 is placed under compression, the edge of said closure member rides upon the inclined surface of the conical head I5 of the stud I5 so that said stud is repressed against the action of spring I1. This spring then returns the stud to its normal position so that the head I5 thereof, will snap over the edge of the closure member 9, This member is thus securely retained in its closed position against the expansive pressure of the packing strip I3 which prevents the sifting of loose powder from the compartment 8 around the edges of the closure member- 9.

Each of the side flanges I8 on the body plate is provided near its opposite ends with openings I9, and in spaced relation to the openings at the front ends of said flanges with inwardly projecting lugs 20, (Fig. 5) the purpose of which will be later explained.

To the rear end of the body section of the base, the top or cover member 2I is connected at one of its ends by a suitable hinge indicated at 22. This cover is in the form of a rectangular sheet metal frame having flanges 23 extending along its longitudinal side edges and corresponding to the anges I8 on the case body 5. Each of the flanges 23 is likewise provided near its opposite ends with the openings 24. This sheet metal frame at its free end and centrally thereof is provided with a slot 25 to accommodate a movable latch finger to be presently described.

Ornamental outer side plates are provided for the cover and body of the case, and preferably correspond in their general shape or contour. Thus, as shown in Figs. 6 to 9 of the drawings, each of these plates is of rectangular form and of approximately the same dimensions as the case body and cover. The outer side plate 26 for the cover of the case is provided along its opposite side edges with the flanges 21. The opposite ends of the plate between these flanges are slightly curved as at 28 and terminate in spaced relation from the marginal edges of the flanges 21. These curved ends of the plate are adapted to have close abutting contact with the opposite ends or" the cover frame 2l. Each flange 21 is formed in spaced relation to each of its ends with an indentation or internal protuberance 29. These protuberances bear the same relation to the ends of the plate 26 as the openings 24 bear to the ends of the cover frame 23. Therefore it will be evident that when the flanges 23 of the cover are tted within the side flanges 21 of the plate 26 and said plate pressed tightly against the outer face of the cover frame, the protuberances 29 will snap into the openings 24 on the flanges of the cover frame and thus hold said frame and outer ornamental plate in rigidly assembled relation so that from external visual inspection they apparently constitute a single structural unit.

The outer ornamental side plate 30 for the case body is also provided with longitudinal side flanges 3I and the curved ends 32 of said plate which terminate in spaced relation to the marginal edges of said flanges. The flanges 32 are provided with indentations or protuberances 33 in the same relation to the opposite ends of said plate as the openings I9 in the flanges I8 in relation to the opposite ends of the case body. One of the flanges 3I is additionally provided near one of its ends and in its edge with a notch or recess 34 while the other flange is provided with a similar recess 35 at the relatively opposite end thereof. The purpose of these recesses will become clear in the following description.

Each ange 3l is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced openings 36 therein.

In similar manner to the attachment of the plate 26 to the cover of the case, the side flanges I 8 are fitted within the side anges 3I on the plate 30, said plate being tightly pressed against the case body so that its curved ends 32 closely engage oppoSite ends of the case body. The protuberances 33 then snap into the openings I9 of the flanges I8, and rigidly lock or secure the plate 30 to the case body so that they become in effect a single composite structural unit.

The usual mirror 31 is secured between the frame member 2I and outer wall 26 of the hinged top or cover of the case and powder applying pad 38 is contained in the recess formed by the depressed part I I of the hinged cover 9 for the powder compartment.

Between the front end of the body member 5 of the case and its outer wall 30, latch means for the hinged top of the case is arranged. As herein shown, this latch means comprises a narrow metal strip having a rigid portion 39 provided intermediate of its ends with an angularly offset upwardly projecting latch hook 40 movable in the slot 4U of the body member 5 of the case. At one side of the latch hook 40 which is positioned closely adjacent to the end 32 of the body wall 30, said strip is slightly inclined inwardly in divergent relation to the end of the case wall as at 4I, and has an end portion 42 disposed in a plane at right angles to the body of the strip and projecting outwardly through the recess or notch 34 in one of the side anges 3I of the wall 30.

The other end of the latch strip 39 is formed with an inwardly curved or bowed resiliently yieldable portion 43 terminating in a transversely projecting end portion 44 between one side wall 1 of the powder container and the flange I8 thereof and having bearing contact at its extremity against the lug 20 on said flange.

To the opposite side flanges 3l of the case body ornamental trim members are attached.

Each of these trim members (Figs. 13, 14) includes a marginal element 45 of a desired ornamental conguration, extending substantially the full length of the case body. This element is in the form of a channel shaped sheet metal stamping having a side wall 46 provided With the longitudinally extending slot 41 and the edge wall or flange 48 which is adapted for tight abutting contact against the outer face of the flange 3I of the case body. Each trim member also includes a second channel shaped element 49 tted within the element 45 and having a relatively narrow longitudinal rib 50 (Fig. 3) projecting outwardly through the slot 41 of the element 45. The edges of this hollow rib are formed with outwardly projecting flanges 5I to engage the inner face of the side wall 46 of the member 45, and thus prevent or limit outward movement of the element 49.

The open side of the element 45 is closed by the element 52 which is also in the form of a light sheet metal stamping having the continuous marginal fiange 53 on its body wall 54 which has tight frictional engagement with the inner face of the ange 48 on the element 45'. The upper section of the wall 54 is transversely offset, as at 54 (Fig. 3) to provide clearance for the cover flange 21.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced tongues 55 are outwardly struck from the lower section of the wall 54, and at one of its ends this wall is provided with a longitudinal slot 56. When the trim member is applied, the side wall 54 of the element 52 has close contact against the outer side face of the flange 3l, the tongues 55 being received through the openings 3E in the iange 3l while the slot 56 is in accurate registration with the notch or recess 34 and receives the outwardly projecting end 42 of the latch member 39. The tongues 55 are tightly clinched upon the inner face of the flange 3l of the body wall.

The element 49 of one of the trim members is provided near each of its ends, with the lugs 5l projecting from the marginal flange 5| thereof and having bearing contact with the wall of the element 52, thus maintaining a rigid relationship between the assembled elements of this trim member and preventing movement of the element 49 relative to the element 45. The other of the trim members however, is provided with similar lugs 58 only at one end of the element 49, said lugs having bearing rocking contact with the wall of the element 52 of this trim member. These lugs therefore constitute fulcrums permitting of a rocking pivotal movement of the element 49 when an inward pressure is applied to the opposite end thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. With the latter end of said trim element 49 the outwardly projecting end 42 of the latch member 39 has constant bearing contact, and said latch member in its normal condition urges the element 49 outwardly to hold its flange 5I in substantially parallel contacting engagement with the inner face of the wall 45 so that normally the elements 45 and 49 of this trim member bear the same parallel relationship to each other as the corresponding elements of the trim member on the opposite side of the case body.

W'hen the top or cover of the case is closed the latch hook 49 of the latch element 39 is received in the slot or opening 25 of the cover frame 2l and securely retains said cover` in its closed position upon the case body. When it is desired to open the case, the front end of the element 49 which is opposite to the fulcrum lugs 58 is pressed inwardly, thus longitudinally shifting the latch element 39 against the resistance of its bowed resilient portion 43 to the position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The hook 49 of this latch member is thus positioned relative to the ends of the slot 25 so that the cover 2| may swing upwardly to its open position. Upon the release of pressure on the end of the trim element 49, the latch member 39 immediately returns to its normal condition and again positions said trim element in parallel relation with the element 45.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that all parts of the latch means for the case cover are concealed and from casual inspection, when the case is closed, it presents a symmetrically ornamental appearance, apparently without visible latch operating means.

The proper and accurate assemblage of the case body 5 with the outer wall 3() thereof and the trim members, is greatly facilitated by the provision of the recesses 34 and 35 in opposite side flanges 3l of the wall 30 and the slot 55 in the element 52 of each trim member together with the two lugs 29. Since the opposite ends of the wall 30 are of symmetrical form, it is therefore, immaterial as to which end of this wall may be positioned at the front or rear end of the case body 5. The latch member 39 may be assembled in either case with its end 44 in bearing contact with one of the lugs 2U. It is only necessary that the trim member having the fulcrum lugs 58 on the element 49 be applied to that side of the case body from which end 42 of the latch member projects.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a novel vanity case or similar article comprising simple sheet metal stampings which may be quickly and rigidly assembled by unskilled labor and without necessitating the use of welded connections, or other extraneous fastening or securing means between the several parts. Of course the outer surfaces of the cover and body walls 25 and 3B and the trim elements 49 may be enameled or otherwise provided with surface ornamentation in any desired colors. It is also evident that the several novel structural features of the invention might be embodied in cases of Various other shapes and ornamental designs than that which I have selected for the purpose of illustration. Since it is likewise apparent that the essential features of the present disclosure may be incorporated in other equivalent structural forms, I therefore reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate variations in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as may fairly be comprehended within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A case including a body section and a hinged cover therefor, a decorative outer side wall for the body section, said body section and side wall having integrally formed coacting means to retain the same in rigidly assembled relation, latch means for said cover comprising a metal strip movably mounted between one end of said body section and the outer side wall, said strip having a rigid portion projecting at one of its ends beyond one side edge 0f the case body and having a latch hook intermediate of its ends projecting upwardly through a slot in said body section for engagement with the cover, said strip at its other end having an inwardly bowed resiliently yieldable portion terminating in a lateral projection in contact with an abutment lug on said body section, and a trim member attached to opposite marginal edges of said outer side wall, one of said trim members including a movable part coacting with said projecting end of the latch strip to actuate the saine to cover releasing position.

ANDREW GRAHAM SHIELDS. 

